With the death of King George V in January of 1936 his son, Edward, the Prince of Wales, became the new King. He knew Canada well, having traveled our nation extensively in 1999, just after the First World War. Escorting His Royal Highness through much of his Canadian tour was Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden.
In Ottawa on this date in 1936, Borden, by now a former PM, took time out to write to his new King.
“Many years have elapsed and great events have occurred since in 1919, I had the honour and the privilege as Prime Minister of welcoming You upon Your first visit to Canada,” Borden wrote. “Of Your considerate kindness at that time and on many subsequent occasions, I have a most grateful memory.”
Borden went on to remind the King of some private highlights from his Canadian tour of 1919.
“During that visit there were many happy incidents and some which, I imagine, you may recall with amusement. Perhaps you may remember an eccentric Mayor who was a guest at the luncheon which You gave at Halifax on the eve of Your departure. Arriving very late and in full evening dress, he proceeded to chat affably with You and with the Duke of Devonshire until gently persuaded to take his seat.”
“Opinion was divided as to whether he had been out all night, or whether he regarded that attire as appropriate for the occasion; but there was general agreement that he had visited les vignes du Seigneur,” Borden continued. “There were other happy and occasionally amusing incidents of that visit. But its outstanding and controlling feature was the warmth, sincerity and spontaneity of Your welcome throughout the length and breadth of our country.”
You can read the rest of Sir Robert’s private letter to King Edward VIII below.
Sir Robert Borden: Yesterday, at a luncheon given by the Engineering Institute, I sat beside (Governor General) Lord Tweedsmuir, who was the guest of honour. He is most earnest in his desire to gain a thorough insight into the conditions prevailing in his new environment, and to comprehend the difficulties and perplexities of those responsible for the governance of Canada's vast territories and scattered communities. During his visits to Montreal and Toronto, as well as in Ottawa, he has been most happy in his public addresses.
It is nearly sixteen years since I laid down my duties as Prime Minister. Although I eventually recovered from the collapse which compelled my retirement, I have had no desire to re-enter public life. However, I still take a keen interest in all that concerns the welfare of our country and of the Empire; and above all I am profoundly thankful that in the vicissitudes, trials and suffering of the past five years, the spirit of our people has never faltered. I know that it will remain firm to the end.
Arthur Milnes is an accomplished public historian and award-winning journalist. He was research assistant on The Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney’s best-selling Memoirs and also served as a speechwriter to then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper and as a Fellow of the Queen’s Centre for the Study of Democracy under the leadership of Tom Axworthy. A resident of Kingston, Ontario, Milnes serves as the in-house historian at the 175 year-old Frontenac Club Hotel.